Animal trap



july 30, 1935. F REMl ||\1(7,|5i=l 2,009,635

ANIMAL TRAP Filed April 18, 1934.

INVENTOR z :if gsm-flin., ATTORNEY '35 tripped.

Patented July 30, 1935 l UNITED 'STAT-Es PATENT OFFICE My invention relates to animal trap of the type adapted for catching moles and like animals which burrow under ground and the rgeneral object of my invention is to providea trapv which is adapted to be placedv on the ground over an underground tunnel or runway along or through Vwhich animals passr and set in such a manner that an animal passing along the underground tunnel or runway will trip the trap and-be impaled-and caught thereby.

The trap is herein described and 'illustrated as adapted for catching moles but rit will be understood that 'it may be usedfintrapping other Vburrowing animals. .:V l

. Another object of the invention is to provide a trap of this nature embodying a mainframe forming a support Vand mounting for a spring driven movable impaling means, said main frame alfording a two point bearing for the impaling spikes whereby they are eiliciently guided and supported in such a manner as to prevent bendingv of the spikes and to prevent .binding of said spikes in operation and to further contribute to the production of a strong and eicient trap which is light in weight and easy to handle.

Other objects are to provide a mole trap of strong, 'simple and compact construction, which is not expensive to manufacture, which is iemcient in operation and which is easyto set and handle. i

Another object of the invention is to provide safety means in connection with' the trip mechanismv whereby the trap may be retained in a set position without danger of being accidentally vOtherl and more speclc objects of the invention will vbe apparent from thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing. 40 In the'drawing Figure l is a side elevation of a vtrap constructed in accordance with my invention as said trapmay appear before being set. Fig. 2 is aside elevation showing the trap set for catching moles. n I

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the trap with the parts in a set position. I

Fig. 4 is a plan lView looking down onto the top of the trap.

Fig. 5 is a, fragmentary detached view partly in section of a portion of the trip mechanism.

Like reference numerals designate likeparts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing I show a trap em- .bodying a main frame formed of two side Vframe members of duplicate construction rigidly secured together inspaced apart relation.

Eachside frame member is preferably made from a singlepiece of strap iron or like metal 'bent to form a longer base bar 6, two inclined 5 or convergent side bar portions 'I and Va `shorter top bar 8. This top bar 8 is parallel with the base bar 6 and' substantially shorter than said base bar. In this way a side frame member shaped somewhat `like a triangle with a flattened 10 apex isrformed. VAt a location adjacent one end of each top bar 8 vtwo portions of one ofthe inclined side bars 'I are overlapped and riveted or otherwise secured together as indicated at IIJ' and the outermost one of these overlapped l5 portions is extended upwardly as at I I and thence bent inwardly as at I 2 and .thence bent forwardly as at I3. The two portions lI I-I2 and I3 which extend upwardly from the respective side frames of the trap cooperate to form an arch like support for a setlever I4. The curved upper Yend I5 of the setlever I4 is pivotallyV mounted on a 4rivet or bolt I 6 which rigidly secures the two portions I3 of the arch like frame members together. A bushing I 'I may be provided onthe 25 rivet I 6 `to prevent binding of the portions I3 against the set lever I4. The portions I |'-'I2-I3- serve as means for rmly attaching the `upper portions of the main side frames and the lower Vportionsof said-side frames are rigidly secured 30 together by cross barsY I8 and I 9 thereby cornpletingfa. strong and substantial frame structure. A shelf'likeportion I5' is provided on the I upper forward end of the set lever I4 for engagement with'fa loop 20 which isrigidly con- 35 nected with a plate member 2l. A plurality of parallel impaling members or spikes 22 are securely anchored in each end of the plate member 2l and extend downwardly through holes 24 in the top frame bars s andL holeszq' in the botw40 tom kframe bars 6 whereby said impaling members 22 are supported' and guided for vertical movement. Two helical tension springs 23 have their lower ends connected with the'side frame -bars 6 and their upper ends connected with plate 45 of .said trigger member is provided with a short,

upwardly extending lug 2'! for engagement with Y the lower end of the trip lever lil. The trip lever i4 also preferably has a notch 28 in the rear edge thereof adjacent the lower end and said lever may be tapered off on the front side as at 29 whereby the lower end of said trip lever may protrude into a hole 30 in the trigger member to allow the notch 28 to. be engaged with said trigger member as shown in Fig. .5. r This constitutes a valuable safety feature when the, trap is to be handled while in a set conditionas it is not easy to trip the trap accidently when the trigger member 26 is engaged withinr the notch It will be noted that the frame members H' are positioned' edgewise as respects the planes of the side frames G-,T-B of the trap. :For .this reason they form a strong and substantial truss or connection across the top of the trap between the two side frames. It will also be noted 4that the trip lever is .shaped and fulcrumed so that the portion I5 will release the loop member 20 quickly and without too much angular movement of the trip lever. v

The two point'bearing for Vtherimpaling mem-` bers 22 formed'in the respective frame bars 6 and 8 is an important feature of the invention as it adds to the vstrength andsmoothness of ,operation of the trap, prevents binding of the impaling members andrmakes possible the use of impaling members of smaller diameter.

dition the plate 2l will rest upon the top frame bars 8, the tensionrsprings 23 will be contracted as shown` iny Fig. 1, but the notch 28 in the trip lever 14, which, in Fig. 1, is shown engaged with the trigger 2B need not be in this position as both the trip lever andV the trigger may be free to hang vertically or assume any other position..

'I'o set the trap the plate 2| and Vimpaling members 22 are raised 'in the frame until the plate 2| `is adjacent the frame parts I3. The trip leverill is swung outwardly, that is to the left from the position shown in Fig. 1, far enoughso that the tip of the flat portion I 5 will rstxclear theloop member and then engage underneath said loop member 20, as the trip lever isagain swung inwardly toward the trap. When thus engaged, the trip lever will hold the plate 2! andimpaling members 20 in elevated position with the springs 23 extended and under tension. After the portion I5 has been properly engaged with the loop member 20 the end of the trip lever M'may be -engaged back of the lug 21 on the trigger 26 and the impaling members willr be retained in an elevated position until this trip lever is released, as by lifting the outer end of the trigger member 26, whereupon the impaling members will be released and forciblysnapped down by the springs 23. If the trap is to be handled lwhile the impaling members are in set position vthe trigger member 26 is preferably engaged within the'notch 28 and accidental springing of the trap thereby prevented. When this has been done it is neces'- sary to release'the trigger 2S lfrom engagement within the notch 2B and engage the end of the trip lever with the lug I4` before the trap is left` moles members;

or runways underneath and substantially parallel to the surface of the ground along which they move in search of worms and like food. In damp weather these runways are made close to the surface. It is also characteristic of moles that they will proceed to re-open these runways if the soil is pressed down and the runways obstructed. However if any foreign substance, especially metal, is'placed in the runway the moles. becomessuspicious and often will not attempt to re-open the runway or pass the foreign substance. The presence of this trap over the runway does not deter the mole from opening up the runway as no metal parts extend into the runway.

In setting the trap for moles it is preferable to press the soil down into the runway and obstruct the runway at the location where the trap is set.

- In Fig. 2 the soil is indicated by 34 and the outline of the robstructed runway which passes under the trap is indicated by dotted lines 36.

When the trap is put in place and after the earththas been pressed into the runway it is preferable to` press the impaling members into the'ground to be certain that no obstructing objects as stones are in their way, after they may be 1secured in elevated positionr with the end of lthe trip Vlever i4 engaged with lug 21 and the trigger member resting on, or in close proximity to, the ground at the location where'the runway has been obstructed; The trap is necessarily anchoredvby stakes 3|.` When a moleattempts to re-open thatportio'n of the runway which passes under the trap the end of the trigger which rests on the ground willbe raised, the trap tripped' and i *the mole impaled by the descending spikes 22. Whenv this trap is sprung or in a non-set con- The foregoing description and accompanying 'drawing clearly disclose a preferred embodiment ofmy invention but it will be understood that this disclosure' is merely illustrative and that such changes in the `invention may be made as are fairlyfwithin the scope and spirit of the follow- I claim: f

1. In a ltrap of the class described; a main frame embodying two transversely spaced apart side frame. members; means rigidly connecting said two side frame members; a pair of vertically spaced apart bearingmemberson each of said side frame members; vertically aligned guide holes in each of said pairs ofvertically spaced apart bearing members; twosets of impaling .members guided for vertical movement in said guide holes; transverse plate means rigidly connected with the upper ends of all of said impaling springs' connected with said 'plate means urging said impaling members downwardly; an upright frame extending abovesaid plate means; a trip arm pivoted on the upper portion of said uprightframe and adapted to releasably engage with said plate; said'trip arm extending downwardly'to the lower portion of said trap frame; andrtrigger means having one portion adapted to releasably engage with said trip arm and another portion adapted to rest on the ground between said twosets of. impaling members.` Y

' 2. In a trap of the class describedya main frameucomprising two spaced apartside members each having a relatively long base bar portion and a shorter top Vbar portion parallel to saidV base bar portion and inclined end portions connecting said top b arportion andsaid base bar portion and top bar' portions and said base barportions having Yaligned bearing holes'therein; rigid cross bars positioned at the ends of said base bar portions and connecting said two side frame members; a plurality of impaling members slidably guided in said bearing members; a plate to which the upper ends of all of said impaling members are secured; springs connecting said plate with said frame members and exerting a downward pull on the plate; upright frame members extending upwardly from said side frame members at the side of said plate and meeting at a point above said plate; a. trip lever extending from the base portionv of the trap upwardly and releasably engaging said plate in the uppermost position of the plate; and trigger means at the base of the trap releasably holding said trip lever.

3. In a trap of the class described; a main frame comprising two spaced apart one piece side members each having a relatively long base bar portion and a shorter top bar portion parallel to said base bar portion and inclined end portions connecting said top bar portion and said'base bar portion, said top bar portions and said base bar portions having aligned bearing holes therein; rigid cross bars positioned at the ends of said base bar portions and connecting said two one piece side frame members; a plurality of impaling members slidably guided in said bearing members; a plate to which the upper ends of all of said impaling members are secured; tension springs connecting said plate with ysaid frame members and exerting a downward.

pull on therplate; integral upright frame members extending upwardly from said side frame members at one side of said plate and curved at their upper ends and meeting at a Vpoint -above said plate; a loop member on said plate; a lever pivoted to the Lipper ends of said upright frame members; means on said lever adapted'to engage with said loop member to hold the trap in set position; and a trigger pivoted on the frame, one end of said trigger being adapted to lie on the ground between said twoV sets of spikes and the other end being adapted tol engage with and releasably hold said lever.

4. In a trap of the class described; a pivoted trip arm, having a notch in one edge near one' end thereof; and a pivoted trigger member having a lug aclaptedrto' engage with said trip arm* said trigger member and accidental tripping of said trap may be prevented. y FRANK REMLINGER. 

